Life Events - Military Service Leave

University of Michigan faculty and staff members in the Armed Forces
Reserves or National Guard who are called to active duty are placed on
Military Service Leave. Under the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment
Rights Act (USERRA), Military Service Leave is treated the same as any unpaid leave
of absence.

Benefits coverages end on the last day of the calendar month in which the employee leaves the
university for active duty. Some benefits plans can be continued at the expense of the employee
during a Military Service Leave. The list below summarizes options available for each plan.

Health Plan and Prescription Drug Plan. University Health Plan and Prescription Drug plan coverage may be continued during the
Military Service Leave at the employee's expense. Faculty and staff members
and dependents who want to continue coverage should call the SSC Contact Center.

Advance Supplies of Prescription Medication. Participants in the
Prescription Drug Plan who need to obtain an advance supply of prescription
medication prior to going on active duty should call the SSC Contact Center at 734-615-2000 or 866-647-7657.
Have your UMID number available.

Dental Plan. Dental coverage may be continued at the employee's
expense. Faculty and staff members and dependents who want to continue
coverage should call the SSC Contact Center.

Group Life Insurance Plans. University, Optional, and Dependent
Life Insurance Plans may be continued at the employee's expense. Faculty and
staff members and dependents who want to continue coverage should call the SSC Contact Center.

Long-Term Disability. Long-Term Disability coverage is not available
during periods of active military service.

Health Care Flexible Spending Account. You can contribute to a Health
Care Account during Military Service Leave.

You may only receive reimbursements for services incurred during
periods when you made contributions to the account.

If you wish to receive reimbursements during Military Service Leave, you
must make aftertax contributions to your Health Care Account. Reimbursement will be based on the total amount you elect for the year and will be paid on
request.

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. You cannot contribute
to a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account during periods when
you are not receiving salary from the university.

Retirement Savings Plan. University and employee contributions to
university retirement savings plan accounts stop with the
last paycheck prior to a Military Service Leave.

When you return to work at the university from active military service, you may make up contributions to your university retirement savings plan that were missed while on leave. You may also make up any supplemental (SRA) or 457b contributions that were missed. The amount you choose to make up is your decision and is entirely voluntary.

If you are a compulsory participant in the plan (you are age 35 or older, have two or more years of service, and are working a 100% appointment effort full time), the university will still provide a contribution of 5% even if you choose not to make up your contributions. The university provides a minimum 5% contribution for compulsory participants that choose not to contribute, upon your return from a military leave.

Call the SSC Contact Center after you return to work from your
leave to ensure your retirement contributions
start again and to indicate if you wish to make up the missed
contributions.

Your 5% contribution and the university 10% contributions that would
have been made during the leave will be calculated based on your
compensation rate prior to the leave.

An extra payroll deduction will be set up each pay period to make up
for the missed contributions. You have up to three times the length of
the leave to make up the missed contributions once you return from
leave, capped at five years.

From the Internal Revenue Service, Sept. 28, 2006

Active-Duty Reservists Get Relief on Retirement Plan Payments

WASHINGTON — Military reservists called to active duty can receive payments from their individual retirement accounts, 401(k) plans and 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities, without having to pay the early-distribution tax, according to the Internal Revenue Service. See the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=163054,00.html for more information.

Returning to Work from Military Service Leave

When you return from Military Service Leave to a university appointment
eligible for benefits, call the SSC Contact Center to have your benefits
reinstated.

Any change in dependent status, such as marriage or a new baby, that occurred during the leave must be reported:

Within 30 days of your return if you did not continue your benefits
during your leave; or

Within 30 days of the event if you did continue your benefits during
your leave.

If you continue your benefits through the university during a leave, and you do not
return to the university at the end of your leave, you will be offered COBRA for your
health plan, prescription drug plan, and dental plan coverage, and Health Ccare Flexible Spending
Account. Under COBRA, you may continue these benefits at your own expense for up to 18
months.

For More Information

For more information, or to continue your benefits during Military Service Leave,
call the
SSC Contact Center at 5-2000 from the Ann Arbor campus, 734-615-2000 locally, or 866-647-7657 toll free, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Labor maintains a website that describes the university's
obligation to employees returning from a military leave. View the USERRA Advisor at http://www.dol.gov/elaws/userra0.htm.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the benefits information in this site. However, if any provision on the benefits plans is unclear or ambiguous, the Benefits Office reserves the right to interpret the plan and resolve the problem. If any inconsistency exists between this site and the written plans or contracts, the actual provisions of each benefit plan will govern. The University of Michigan in its sole discretion may modify, amend, or terminate the benefits provided with respect to any individual receiving benefits, including active employees, retirees, and their dependents.